Yankees Add Yet Another MVP
Cubs Send Cody Bellinger to the Yankees in Trade
Cody Bellinger, who signed a 3-year deal with the Chicago Cubs last offseason, has been traded to the New York Yankees, reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Trade talks between the Cubs and Yankees started after Juan Soto signed a deal with the New York Mets & after the Cubs acquired OF Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros.
This deal, the Chicago Cubs sent Cody Bellinger & $5M in cash considerations to the Yankees in exchange for RHP Cody Poteet. This big move frees up a lot of money for the Cubs to spend on another free agent, possibly a player such as Alex Bregman.
Bellinger, hit .266/.325/.426 with 18 homeruns and 78 RBIs for the Cubs in 2024 while playing games at first base (22), center field (48), right field (49), designated hitter (24) and left field (1). In New York, Bellinger may become the everyday centerfielder, with reports saying that Aaron Judge is moving back to right field. Another possibility is Bellinger becoming New York’s starting first baseman with Jasson Dominguez joining the Yankees’s outfield.
On the other side of the trade, the Cubs received right hander Cody Poteet. Poteet, who has only appeared in 24 games throughout his career, posted a 2.22 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 24.1 innings for the Yankees in 2024.
This trade marks the third big move of the offseason for the Yankees after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 5 games in the 2024 World Series. The other moves made by Yankees’s executive Brian Chashman include a trade with the Brewers to acquire All-Star closer Devin Williams & signing one of the top pitchers on the market, Max Fried to a free agent contract.
